System for discharging an area that is scanned by an electron beam

• US 10,153,126 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Limited (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Limited (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Inventors: Goldenshtein, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoffa, Wyatt
• Application Number:
  US15/595,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20170250052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/0047 using electromagnetic radiations, e.g. UV, X-rays, light
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/04 Means for controlling the discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/063 Electron sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2801 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2817 Pattern inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/026 Means for avoiding or neutralising unwanted electrical charges on tube components
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/073 Electron guns using field emission, photo emission, or secondary emission electron sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/226 Optical arrangements for illuminating the object; optical arrangements for collecting light from the object
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/28 with scanning beams H01J37/268, H01J37/292, H01J37/2955 take precedence

Abstract

A method and a system for imaging an object, the system may include electron optics that may be configured to scan a first area of the object with at least one electron beam; wherein the electron optics may include a first electrode; and light optics that may be configured to illuminate at least one target of (a) the first electrode and (b) the object, thereby causing an emission of electrons between the first electrode and the object.

Claims

1. A system for imaging an object, the system comprising:

electron optics configured to scan a first area of the object with at least one electron beam, wherein the electron optics comprise a first electrode, wherein the electron optics comprise a column of electrodes for electron beam shaping, electron beam deflection, or electron beam focusing, wherein the first electrode is a part of the column of electrodes, and wherein the first electrode is closer to the object than any other electrode in the column of electrodes; and

light optics configured to directly illuminate the first electrode with a beam of light without directly illuminating the object, thereby causing an emission of electrons between the first electrode and the object.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises a mirror, and the light optics are configured to illuminate the mirror with the beam of light, and the mirror is configured to direct the beam of light towards the first area.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises a mirror, and the light optics are configured to illuminate the mirror with the beam of light, and the mirror is configured to direct the beam of light towards the object.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more biasing circuits for providing a same biasing voltage to the first electrode and to the object.

5. A method for imaging an object, the method comprising:

scanning, by electron optics, a first area of the object with at least one electron beam, wherein the electron optics comprise a first electrode, wherein the electron optics comprise a column of electrodes for electron beam shaping, electron beam deflection, or electron beam focusing, wherein the first electrode is a part of the column of electrodes, and wherein the first electrode is closer to the object than any other electrode in the column of electrodes; and

directly illuminating, by light optics, the first electrode with a beam of light without directly illuminating the object, thereby causing an emission of electrons between the first electrode and the object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first electrode comprises a mirror, and the light optics illuminate the mirror with the beam of light, and the mirror is configured to direct the beam of light towards the first area.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first electrode comprises a mirror, and the light optics illuminate the mirror with the beam of light, and the mirror is configured to direct the beam of light towards the object.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing, by one or more biasing circuits, a same biasing voltage to the first electrode and to the object.

9. A method for imaging an object, the method comprising:

scanning, by electron optics, a first area of the object with at least one electron beam, wherein the electron optics comprise a mirror coupled to a first electrode; and

illuminating, by light optics, the mirror with a beam of light, the mirror arranged to direct the beam of light towards the object, thereby causing an emission of electrons between the first electrode and the object.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mirror is arranged to direct the beam of light towards the first area, thereby causing an emission of electrons between the first electrode and the first area.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising illuminating, by the light optics, the object with the beam of light.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising illuminating, by the light optics, the object with the beam of light, wherein the mirror and the object are illuminated simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising illuminating, by the light optics, the object with the beam of light, wherein the mirror and the object are illuminated at different times.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising illuminating, by the light optics, the object with the beam of light, wherein the first area is scanned during a scan period, and the mirror and the object are illuminated at different times during the scan period.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing, by one or more biasing circuits, a same biasing voltage to the first electrode and to the object.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising illuminating, by the light optics, the object with a second beam of light separate from the beam of light.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the scanning and the illuminating occur at different times.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the scanning and the illuminating occur at a same time.